Endocrine Abstracts

Salt-sensitive hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity. Humans and mice with glucocorticoid receptor haploinsufficiency (GR+/−) are hypertensive, which in mice reflects activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Furthermore, glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene polymorphisms associate with increased cardiovascular disease risk. Here we investigated the effect of dietary salt intake on blood pressure, heart and kidney in GR+/− mice...

11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) regenerates glucocorticoids in intact cells, converting inert cortisone into active cortisol. We have previously shown attenuated atherosclerosis development, reduced plasma monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and reduced macrophage/T cell infiltration within atherosclerotic lesions in 11β-HSD1−/−×ApoE−/− double knock-out (DKO) mice fed western diet (WD)....

A 64-year-old man (HM) was admitted to our local hospital with transient dysarthria and right hemiparesis; formal blood glucose was 2.2 mmol/l on admission. During his in-patient stay, he had frequent episodes of hypoglycaemia. Further questioning revealed a 4 week history of recurring dizzy spells which improved on eating.Cerebral imaging and adrenal function were normal and so the patient underwent further investigations (summarised below) which confir...

Context: Hyperandrogenemia in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) represents a composite of raised serum concentrations of testosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and DHEA sulfate (DHEAS). In patients with PCOS, testosterone and androstenedione are primarily derived from the ovaries and DHEAS is a metabolite predominantly from the adrenals. It has been shown that atorvastatin reduces testosterone levels in patients with PCOS.Objective:...

It is recommended that all patients with PA who are suitable for surgery should undergo adrenal CT and AVS unless there is a large unilateral adenoma with a completely normal contralateral gland. We reviewed 100 patients diagnosed with PA. AVS was performed in 93. Different lateralisation criteria for AVS were assessed using ROC curve analysis to determine the optimal one for identifying an adenoma. We reviewed the outcomes of adrenalectomy evaluating which pre-operative chara...

High plasma levels of glucocorticoids cause metabolic disease (central obesity, hypertension, diabetes) and increase risk of cardiovascular disease. 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) regenerates glucocorticoids in intact cells, converting inert cortisone (11-dehydrocorticosterone in rodents) into active cortisol (corticosterone in rodents). Recent work has shown the pathological importance of elevated adipose tissue 11β-HSD1 expression in develo...

Primary aldosteronism is an important cause of secondary hypertension though its diagnosis can prove challenging. In normal individuals aldosterone release follows a diurnal pattern, with a morning peak and low levels in the evening. Aldosterone is present in saliva and due to its lipophilic nature it passes into saliva along a concentration gradient. Salivary steroid testing is well established for cortisol and testosterone, but not yet for aldosterone....

Oestrogen receptor (ER) activity has a wide spectrum of functions in the human body, including the development, growth and maintenance of the reproductive system. There are two ER subtypes, ERα and ERβ. The latter exists as multiple splice variants (ERβ1, ERβ2 and ERβ5) some of which lack a steroid ligand-binding domain. ERs act as steroid-ligand activated transcription factors. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) acting via the MAP kinase pathway has been s...

Somatostatin is an inhibitory regulator with important cellular effects whose actions are mediated through the G protein-coupled somatostatin receptors 1-5 (sst1-5). We have previously described the existence of sst2 in human endometrium, but the expression for other isoforms was unknown. The precise control of cellular proliferation and angiogenesis in the endometrium is not yet fully understood, and we hypothesise that somatostatin may have a role.<...

Obesity, particularly abdominal (visceral) obesity, is a major risk factor for development of the metabolic syndrome. Human and animal studies have shown elevated intra-adipose glucocorticoid-action in obesity and suggest that increased glucocorticoid receptor (GR) density may be an important determinant of visceral adiposity. We have tested this hypothesis in transgenic (Tg) mice in which adipose GR levels have been increased or decreased, by expression of “sense” o...